In a current logistics system, an upper business system having business information, a physical distribution information database processing system, and a material handling system are coupled by a network one another to be operated.
A physical distribution information database processing is referred to as different names depending on respective manufacturers, and is referred to as a WMS (Warehouse Management System) or a physical distribution CPU. A facility control processing is also referred to as different names depending on respective equipment manufacturers, and is referred to as, for example, a WCS (Warehouse Control System) or a ground controller.
FIG. 9 illustrates a configuration of a conventional logistics system. Respective systems of an integrated controller 1 (WCS) 96 and an integrated controller 2 (WCS) 97, which control a WMS 93 and an operation device group 99 in FIG. 9, are provided as black boxes that does not opened. This is in status where only specific IT manufacturer and equipment manufacturer can cope with modifications in accordance with a change of facility and an operational change. Therefore, the system configuration cannot achieve its flexibility and scalability. A data warehouse (DWH) 94 often employs hardware and an OS different from that of the WMS 93. The DWH 94 is in a black-box state. The conventional system has stratified different hardware, software, and databases (DBs) via I/Fs with communication, between the upper business system 91, the WMS 93, and the controllers 96 and 97. The respective software and DBs are in black-box states, thus being in status that has to rely on a specific manufacturer that has closed and professional knowledge.
The stratification of logistics functions independently employs an OS, a DB, and a programming language compatible for a property of the database processing and an OS and a programming language compatible for a property of the control processing. The respective OSs and programming languages are different. A system (IT) manufacturer develops the physical distribution information system, and an equipment manufacturer develops the control system. This increases modification regions and portions in accordance with a system change and the change of facility; thus, system extension cannot be achieved to increase a risk of system failure. Constant maintenance and support bound by the equipment manufacturer even after operation increases a maintenance cost, increases a cost that cannot be assessed, such as an unnecessary modification and a substrate exchange, and increases respective replacement costs in accordance with respective maintenance expirations. This result inhibits a flexible logistics system from further becoming popular.
The stratification of the physical distribution information database processing and the facility control processing is a factor that inhibits immediacy of a troubleshooting from status that cannot correspond without broad knowledge of the physical distribution information processing referred to as a planning system, and the facility control processing referred to as an execution system in the logistics, when a communication failure, a trouble in a facility device, a trouble in improper data in the physical distribution information, a trouble in physical distribution work operation, and similar trouble occur. This considerably influences the operation of the work.